Sorted by date Results 426 - 450 of 1044
PHOENIX, Ariz.-Time, distance and technology limitations are among the reasons Native Americans may be the most difficult demographic to count in the 2020 census, the Census Bureau says. But lack of trust is the biggest reason, said Patty Hibbeler, chief executive of the Phoenix Indian Center, which provides workforce and youth development, drug and alcohol prevention and language and culture revitalization. "It comes from a very long and very negative history with the...
PHOENIX – Alex Alejandre lost 75 pounds in a year. His wife, Mary, lost 40. They want to set a good example for their 17-year-old son, Nathan, and take a personal stand against obesity, which can lead to diabetes and other serious health problems, especially in Native Americans. "The health of my child is everything to me. I want him to grow up to be healthy," said Alex, a member of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. With the help of a community program, his f...
KYKOTSMOVI, Ariz.-Vanissa Barnes-Saucedo was 21 when military recruiters stopped her in a shopping mall, waving enlistment papers in front of her. Although she says she wasn't entirely sure what she was getting herself into, she signed the papers anyway. For the next six years, Barnes-Saucedo was stationed around the world: Virginia, Colorado, South Korea, Kuwait and Iraq. However, by the time she was honorably discharged in 2014, she suffered from post traumatic stress...
Vancouver, B.C.-As the 2019 International Year of Indigenous Languages (IYIL2019) closed last month, the First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC) of British Columbia praised the efforts made to revitalize and maintain First Nations languages in British Columbia. Ambitious goals and work have been accomplished and sustained through global and regional efforts with the implementation of the IYIL2019 to preserve and promote First Nations languages, but these efforts must go...
COMOX, B.C.-The Comox Valley Airport has recently installed above its departures lounge a replica of a First World War Nieuport biplane donated by the late Captain David Freeman, a long time pilot and aviation enthusiast as part of the Plane of Reconciliation project. Freeman's wish was for the 400,000 people who pass through the airport annually to see the plane as a reminder of the contributions and sacrifices of Indigenous Peoples, and all Canadian Veterans, honored...
Great Falls, Mont.-After 80-plus years of seeking federal recognition the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa has become the 574th federally recognized tribe in the United States. Federal recognition will give tribe members access to health care and social services. Located in Montana, the tribe celebrated their victory by remembering those who have, over the years, pursued the recognition-including 93-year-old Theresa Juraskovich, the oldest tribal member, who told High Country...
Edmonton, AB.-In early February 2000, aniskwaciy Academy opened its doors. It was the first Indigenous-based public high school in Canada, steeped in Indigenous language, culture and traditions. "We have strong academy programming, but we also want to make sure our kids are getting strong cultural teaching," principal Fred Hines told CBC news. Hines also says the goal is to learn about the Cree culture and create a community of forward thinkers. In 2000, when the school...
Parksville, B.C.-Recently, the Honorable Marc Miller, Minister of Indigenous Services, congratulated 24 Indigenous innovators on moving forward in developing their ideas under the Indigenous Homes Innovation Initiative. The 24 innovators come from all regions of Canada and their ideas cover a range of new ways to respond to Indigenous social and housing needs. The selected innovators are now taking part in the Accelerator period. The Accelerator will provide the innovators...
WASHINGTON-Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs Tara Sweeney announced that the Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development (IEED) has awarded business development grants totaling $727,229 to 21 federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes. Over half of the awards are for proposed or existing projects located in Opportunity Zones. The awards from IEED's Native American Business Development Institute (NABDI) Feasibility Study Program will enable tribal le...
OTTAWA, Ont.-A January 2020 report released by the Correctional Investigator of Canada shows that Canada's prisons are being "Indigenized," or filling up with Indigenous men and women at a rate surpassing 30 percent, which could rise to 33 percent, even though Indigenous people make up less than 5 per cent of the total Canadian population. Indigenous women account for a staggering 42 per cent of the women inmate population in Canada. The Correctional Investigator of Canada,...
TAHLEQUAH, Okla.-The Cherokee Nation is the first tribe in the United States to receive an invitation to deposit its traditional heirloom seeds to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, a long-term seed storage facility housed deep inside a mountain on a remote island in Norway. The Cherokee Nation Secretary of Natural Resources office collected nine samples of Cherokee heirloom crops to send to Svalbard, including Cherokee White Eagle Corn, the tribe's most sacred corn, which is...
On Friday, October 4, Indian Life hosted a banquet at Calvary Temple in Winnipeg to celebrate 40 years of ministry. We thank all those who contributed to organizing the banquet and those who joined us in this milestone celebration to praise our Lord for all He has done for and through this ministry. We enjoyed a fabulous meal catered by the Calvary Temple catering team and were blessed in song by Christopher Creasy and members of the band, Northern Fire. Our guest speaker, Dr....
Lynette Stant, a 3rd grade teacher at Salt River Elementary in the Salt River Schools district is the Arizona Educational Foundation's 2020 Arizona Teacher of the Year. Stant, a fifteen-year veteran teacher, is the first teacher working in a Bureau of Indian Education school to be named an Arizona Teacher of the Year, and the first Native teacher to be chosen. "I became a teacher because I don't ever want Native American students to feel they are not prepared to meet the...
EDMONTON, Alb.-Recently, two neighbouring Alberta First Nations, O'Chiese and Sunchild, held an official signing ceremony to enact bylaws giving the First Nations power to evict drug dealers and drive out illicit drug use from the communities. Both nations received overwhelming support for the Residency and Trespass Bylaws bylaws after presenting them to their communities for public discussion. "We are battling an epidemic of drug and alcohol abuse in our communities, " said...
EVERETT, Wash.-The Snoqualmie tribe from Washington recently paid $125 million to purchase one of the state's most popular attractions: Snoqualmie Falls The 268-foot waterfall attracts more than 1.5 million visitors a year. Besides the falls, the tribe has purchased , along with Salish Lodge and 45 acres of land. "This purchase represents the Snoqualmie Tribe's ongoing work to reclaim its traditional lands and will allow the Snoqualmie people to appropriately care for our...
For Waneek Horn-Miller is one of the athletes recently inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. She was the first Mohawk woman to compete in an Olympic Games, and the first water polo player to be inducted to Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. The Kahnawake, Quebec native who now resides in Ottawa says the induction is a huge honor, but she also feels it is a reminder of the work needed to improve opportunities for Indigenous youth in sport. Only 11 of the 665 members of...
ROSEBUD RESERVATION-The Rosebud Economic Development Corporation (REDCO) presented the Rosebud Sioux Tribe with a $388,306 dividend payment at a special tribal council meeting held recently. "REDCO has grown from 1 employee to 57 employees in 7 years," stated Wizipan Little Elk, REDCO CEO. "We want to find ways to help our people improve their quality of life." REDCO's top accomplishments during the past year include bringing in revenue totaling $16,042,066. This amount...
WASHINGTON, D.C.-On December 9, in a voice cote, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Esther Martinez Native Languages Program Reauthorization Act. "The protection and preservation of our Native languages is crucial to the cultural identities and life ways of tribal citizens and the overall sustainability of tribal nations," said Kevin J. Allis, Chief Executive Officer of the National Congress of American Indians. "We are thrilled to see the House pass the Esther...
OTTAWA, Ont.-The federal government will adopt changes to its criminal justice legislation, Bill C-75, which will require judges to consider harsher sentences in cases of violence against Indigenous women, according to a motion from Justice Minister David Lametti. Lametti said the changes to the bill are "in the spirit of the inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls," and will recommend harsher penalties for those who commit crimes against Indigenous...
WILLIAMS LAKE, B.C.-In October, the Tŝilhqot'in Nation celebrated the Grand Opening of its solar farm, located 80 km west of Williams Lake. The 1.25-MW solar farm is the largest of its kind in British Columbia and is a hundred percent developed, built, owned and operated by the Tŝilhqot'in Nation. The Tŝilhqot'in Solar Farm consists of 3,456 solar modules that will convert the sun's rays into electricity which will then be sent into the BC Hydro grid and generate ec...
OLYMPIA, Wash-Raquel Montoya-Lewis was recently named as the first Native American to serve on the Washington Supreme Court, and only the second Native American to serve on any state supreme court in the nation. Montoya-Lewis's experience includes serving as the chief judge for the Nooksack and Skagit tribes and the Northwest intertribal courts. She has been an associate professor at Western Washington University, and is in her fifth year on the Whatcom County Superior Court,...
TORONTO, Ont.-In late October, the Ontario government announced that Wataynianeyap Power would receive a $1.34 billion loan to bring electricity to 17 First Nations in northwestern Ontario. "I think it's an amazing milestone we've accomplished and we look forward to building the line," said Margaret Kenequanash, CEO, Wataynikaneyap Power LP. Wataynikaneyap means 'lines that brings light." Wataynikaneyap Power, also known as Watay. is a partnership with 51 per cent ownership...
WASHINGTON, D.C.-President Donald Trump authorized creation of an eight-member panel of federal officials Tuesday to coordinate the federal response to the problem of murdered and missing indigenous women. Trump told tribal leaders gathered at the White House for the signing that the "Operation Lady Justice" task force is long overdue, calling statistics related to missing and murdered indigenous women "sobering and heartbreaking." The executive order signed Tuesday creates a...
WASHINGTON, D.C.- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recently announced nearly $200 million in grant awards to 52 Native American Tribes and Tribally Designated Housing Entities (TDHEs) across the Nation for new housing construction, housing rehabilitation, and critical infrastructure projects. HUD announced the grants during the 2019 National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC) Legal Symposium in Las Vegas. "HUD is excited for this new opportunity to...
AKWESASNE, Mohawk Nation-The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Council signed Tribal Council Resolution 2019-58 in early December in response to public health concerns associated with vaping and e-cigarette products and their appeal to youth and young adults. Customers must now be 21 years old to purchase all products associated with vape, e-cigarettes, electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), or similar devices. The resolution also prohibits the retail sale and distribution of...
